§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the index numbers for the cost of rail fares, bus fares and motoring costs in January 1979 on the same basis as his answer,Official Report, 31st July 1978, column 179.
§ Mr. Horam:The rail and bus figures for January 1979 from the Department of Employment's general index of retail prices will not be available until 16th February but the figures for December 1978 on the same basis as my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) on 31st July 1978 —[Vol. 955, c. 179.]—are for rail fares 1,070 and for bus fares 1,315 (June 1947=100). The calculations involve a substantial degree of approximation and interpretation of the data should take this into account. The car figures are published annually by the Automobile Association and the 1979 figures will not he available until the spring of this year.